NCCRM offers egg freezing in Cary NC to women who are 38 years old or younger. Egg freezing is becoming more popular for women that are not ready to get pregnant right away, but want it to still be an option for them later on down the road. Unlike with embryo cryopreservation, egg freezing doesn’t require sperm because the eggs aren’t fertilized before they’re frozen. Just as with embryo freezing, however, you’ll need to use fertility drugs to make you ovulate so that you’ll produce multiple eggs for retrieval. Egg freezing has multiple steps — ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, and freezing. NCCRM is here to break down the process of egg freezing Cary NC for you:
Ovarian Stimulation
Initially, you’ll take synthetic hormones to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs, rather than the single egg that typically would develop monthly. During treatment, your doctor will monitor you. You’ll have blood tests to measure your response to ovarian-stimulation medications. Estrogen levels typically increase as follicles develop, and progesterone levels remain low until after ovulation. Follow-up visits will also include having a vaginal ultrasound to monitor the development of fluid-filled sacs where eggs mature, known as follicles. Generally, after 10 to 14 days the follicles are ready for egg retrieval, so an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin or another medication will be given to help the eggs mature.
Egg Retrieval
Egg retrieval is done under sedation using a transvaginal ultrasound aspiration, where an ultrasound probe is inserted into your vagina to identify the follicles. A needle is then guided through the vagina and into a follicle. A suction device connected to the needle is used to remove the egg from the follicle. Multiple eggs can be removed, and studies show that the more eggs retrieved, the better the chances of birth. After egg retrieval, you might have cramping, and feelings of fullness or pressure might continue for weeks because your ovaries remain enlarged.
Egg Freezing Cary, NC
Shortly after your unfertilized eggs are harvested, they’re cooled to subzero temperatures to preserve them for future use. The process most commonly used for egg freezing is called vitrification. High concentrations of substances that help prevent ice crystals from forming during the freezing process (cryoprotectants) are used with rapid cooling.
NCCRM
The entire process from screening to egg freezing will last approximately two months. If you are interested in learning more about egg freezing Cary NC, contact the ‘egg-sperts’ at NCCRM today!
